State records 40mm of rain in an hour as flood warnings are put in place
Flood warnings are in place after multiple weather systems brought on a rain deluge, with one place recording 40mm of rain in just an hour.
Environment
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Flood warnings are in place as three different weather events bring on a lashing of rain.
Hail fell across Queensland’s far north on Monday as Queensland and NSW were lashed by widespread rain and isolated thunderstorms.
Flood warnings are in place for the Wilsons River near Lismore in the NSW Northern Rivers region. The river is expected to peak around the minor flood level on Tuesday morning.
Bureau of Meteorology senior meteorologist Sarah Scully said a broad flood watch was also in place. It is likely to continue extending from Sarina in Queensland down to Tweed Heads, as well as the NSW north and mid north coasts.
Hazardous surf warnings, which are expected to continue into Wednesday. are also in place for the Capricornia and the Sunshine Coast.
The warnings come as more than 200mm of rainfall fell across northern NSW, particularly on the coast.
“Overnight this rain has continued across the north and the mid-north coast with the Coffs area receiving an extra 50mm or so, but more generally speaking the rainfall has eased off a bit in the last 12 hours up to 6am this morning and the region seen more broadly 5-15mm,” Ms Scully said.
“The focus of the heavier rainfall has actually been concentrated across the border in Queensland.”
Between 20-30mm of rain was recorded across the southern Capricornia and parts of the Wide Bay-Burnett in the early hours of Tuesday morning, with Rockhampton and Bundaberg recording heavier totals.
“There’s been some observations of 80-100mm in the last few hours including at Hills Road (weather station north of Bundaberg) – they recorded 100mm, which had 40mm of that falling in just one hour,” she said.
“Quite heavy rainfall through that region as well.”
The rain is being driven by an onshore flow bringing in moisture from the Pacific Ocean off Queensland and northern NSW.
“Then we’ve got a coastal trough near the state border that’s enhancing that rainfall, and then on top of that we’ve got an upper level low pressure system over Queensland and that’s helping to amplify or create really unstable conditions and resulting in these real extensive and persistent rainfalls,” Ms Scully said.
Australians will likely need to keep their umbrellas handy, with the wet weather expected to stick around until at least Wednesday.
“This entire system is quite slow moving and the rain is expected to continue throughout the day, particularly about the Queensland coast, and then start to ease off during the Wednesday morning,” Ms Scully said.
“Easing off during Wednesday and then clearing by Thursday as the system moves out over the water.”
While showers are likely to reach Melbourne by Wednesday, the mercury is forecast to reach 20C from Monday and into Thursday.
Temperatures in Sydney are likely to remain in the low 20s for much as the week as temperatures climb into the high 20s in Brisbane from Friday.
Perth and Adelaide will experience showers for much of the week while enjoying temperatures in the low 20s.
Temperatures in Hobart will reach a high of 20C on Tuesday, while Canberra is set to be peppered with showers and a high of 18C throughout the week.
Darwin is tipped to reach a top of 33C on Tuesday, with similar warm temperatures expected to carry on through the week.
Originally published as State records 40mm of rain in an hour as flood warnings are put in place
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